SIRTE (BNO NEWS) — The bodies of more than 250 people who are believed to have been supporters of ousted Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi have been found in Sirte, a local newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The 267 bodies were found in recent days in the city of Sirte and its suburbs, according to the Quryna newspaper which cited Red Cross sources. It said most of the victims were people loyal to the regime of Gaddafi, who was captured and killed near Sirte last week.
The sources told the newspaper that the bodies were counted and photographed by transitional authorities before they were buried in mass graves near Sirte. Quryna reported that many of the victims appeared to have been executed.
According to the report, officials at the National Transitional Council (NTC) have pledged to conduct an investigation into the circumstances of the deaths and punish those responsible.
The news comes less than a week after 53 decomposing bodies were found in the garden of the Mahari Hotel in Sirte. Human Rights Watch said the victims were apparently supporters of Gaddafi and had been executed, possibly by anti-Gaddafi forces who were staying at the hotel.
At a different site in Sirte, Human Rights Watch saw the badly decomposed bodies of 10 people who had apparently also been executed. Their identities are unknown and Human Rights Watch was unable to determine whether anti-Gaddafi or pro-Gaddafi forces were responsible, although medical officials in Sirte said pro-Gaddafi forces had also carried out executions.
Human Rights Watch urged transitional authorities to investigate the executions. “The evidence suggests that some of the victims were shot while being held as prisoners, when that part of Sirte was controlled by anti-Gaddafi brigades who appear to act outside the control of the National Transitional Council (NTC),” said Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director at Human Rights Watch, on Monday. “If the NTC fails to investigate this crime it will signal that those who fought against Gaddafi can do anything without fear of prosecution.”
He added: “This latest massacre seems part of a trend of killings, looting, and other abuses committed by armed anti-Gaddafi fighters who consider themselves above the law. It is imperative that the transitional authorities take action to rein in these groups.”
Libya has been engulfed in a civil war since an uprising against Muammar Gaddafi’s regime began in mid-February, while pro-Gaddafi forces were accused of violently cracking down on anti-government protesters. It led to UN Security Council Resolution 1973 which authorized member states to impose a no-fly zone over the North African country and to take ‘all necessary measures’ to protect civilians, including airstrikes.
Gaddafi was captured on Thursday morning by fighters supporting Libya’s transitional government as he tried to flee his hometown Sirte. He was eventually shot dead but it remains unclear whether he was executed by his captors or if he was killed during fighting between pro-Gaddafi and anti-Gaddafi forces.
On Saturday, a review of newly released video showed how an unidentified man sodomized Gaddafi with an object before he was eventually killed. The video was released by the website the Global Post, which obtained the footage from rebel fighters.
It is believed more than 25,000 people have been killed during the civil war.
This is only the beginning. To all the blind fools who comment here supporting the naked aggression by western powers, I feel sorry for you. It is ignorant sorry souls like you that will continue to have these leaches preying on people of colour and those of us in the developing world. Again, guess many of us seem to like being degraded as long as we can get a piece of the western lifestyle and eat their KFC. A real shame, but like all the great empires before (Egypian, Roman,etc.)their reign of world domination and spread of terror and deceit WILL soon come to an end. So enjoy it while it lasts folks.
Now sir. Remember that if not for them you would not have the medicines and other things that make life tolerable at worse or self sustaining at best.
So let me understand – if a dictator (Gaddafi) does some good things for Africa, his people cannot choose to depose him and have democracy? But if a dictator likes America (Mubarak) it is ok for his people to sepose him and have democracy? And what about Syria and Iran? Those dictators must stay because they don’t like America?
This was not a civil war. It was a US and European supported and backed regime change.
So who is running the country now? I thought it was Libyans since there is no Americans or Europeans in Libya?
We will have to see. One thing is for sure. The actions taken in Libya will comeback to bite NATO and the world. Give it 5 – 10 years. We will see
GADAFFI PLAYED A TREMENDOUS ROLE IN THE LIBERATION EFFORTS OF OUR BLACK BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN SOUTH AFRICA DURING THE IMMORAL APATHEID PERIOD……I HOPE US PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THIS
IF WE ARE NOT MADE TO BE AWARE OF OUR HISTORY WE WILL REMAIN ROOTLESS TREES!
LONG LIVE THE LEGACY AND PHILOSOPHY OF COMRADE GADAFFI!
are u also aware that gaddafi supplied assistance to idi amin of uganda who slaughtered more than 400,000 of his own country men BLACK AFRICANS at that? and it was done to establish a islamic state in uganda? and i know u are going to say white propaganda but the book on this was written by black africans who actually faced the atrocities so don’t insult the liberation struggle of africans by equating gaddafi as a leader in their struggles he was an arab with money trying to exploit africans just like the white man
And how many anti-Gadhaf1 suporters are still missing?
it has already begun…..i read on yahoo news that the new leadership stated that sharia laws shall rule Libya….first on the agenda….divorced women will no longer be able to be heads of households…….. so any single hard WORKING mother taking care of her kids will either be force to marry or risk loosing her kids ……which simply means a woman can no longer divorce her husband no matter how abusive he is too her…..fear is already spreading
ONE STEP FORWARD FOR THE LIBYAN PEOPLE
any ways God has described the descendents of Ismael as wild beasts….based on his foreknowledge
But Mr ouset says “This was not a civil war. It was a US and European supported and backed regime change.” So US and Europe wanted Sharia Law??
NATO said that they were going to Libya to ‘protect civilians’ but apparently only anti-Gadhafi civilians count.
This massacre is 100% due to NATO because they’re the one who bombed Sirte so that the rebels could move in and butcher the population.
Blood on Obama, Sarkozy and Cameron’s hands. All this so they could install a puppet gov’t which would allow them to exploit Libya’s resources and destroy Gadhafi’s plans to develop Africa.
I don’t know what else it will take for some people to see the light.
Obama should hang his head in shame… supporting rebels??? what do you expect… now his dogs have done his dirty work and they are running loose out of control. lets hope they dont turn back to bite the hands that fed them.
This is no politics, about loving or hating a political party, this is like more occultism.
People this is sad, when we allow politics to touch the very fabric of our country, the most priceless resource, human lives, we are in big trouble.
It happened in big Libya, it can happen in little Dominica, let us be reasonable in our agreeing and disagreeing with each other.
Sad story caused by one man, what a mess.
Let this be a lesson to all POWER HUNGRY REBELS what you sow is what you reap ,he got in by COUP D’ETAT,well he died by it,he who livesby the sword shall die by the sword,GOD ALLWAYS HAS THE LAST WORD!!!!!!!!!!!
Brutal,Wicked and evil dictators, always leave a trail of death in their path.
Boy you just have to shake your head.
Who are the boogey men now? The very same things that they accused Gaddafi of are the very same things that are happening in Libya today and all you want me to support that?
Imagine that, executions and mass graves from the ‘liberators’ sponsored and protected by the western governments. And these guys coming with their ‘there should be investigations’? Man please.
Let the oil flow. The Libyans are going to eat a bread of sadness tomorrow.
This whole entire episode is a disgrace in the history of the human race.
I would love to hear Dominica’s leaders take on this one…
I watchin’s still!!!
SOMEONE TELL IS THAT JUSTICE HUMAN RIGHTS WHAT ABOUT GENNEVAR LAW .
ALMOST OUR ENTIRE LIVES ARE DICTATED BY EXTERNAL FORCES!!!!!
Lets get real! Even our little Dominica is more controlled by outside rather than local forces…..hence a localized divide, almost a rift has been created amongst our common people…..Red Clinic, Red China, Red ALBA………ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY…….FOREIGN MONEY……. BUT WE MUST BEHAVE IN A PARTICULAR MANNER IN ORDER THAT WE CAN ENJOY THAT MONEY…….my friends are those who pay me they say…..MONEY
The UN body (NATO) said they were in Libya to protect civilians. What a shame for Obama, Clinton and America. Did you see Hilary Clinton giving the thumbs up while joining in the celebration over the death of Gaddafi?
Yes! she, Obama and NATO supported genocide and barbarism in Libya. Now I know that President Obama has both of his eyes on the same side of his head.
Gaddafi was the best leader Africa ever had.
I hope Dominicans learn from this sad situation. Those who encourage us to fight one another in the name of Democracy are the same ones, who bought us, and abused us durng slavery.The same ones who never want a united Africa. Because a United Africa, using its resources for the benefit of the African people will mean a poorer Europe.
Let’s be real now, we cannot continue to blame others our plight. The Africans were the ones who chased their brothers and sisters in the jungle and dragged them to the sea port and delivered them to the white man, just like all you people selling all you and all you rights to anyone who can give them a dollars right about now. Is it dejavu? Maybe it is! Black people most times bring their plight on their own selves.. Wait all you will see! Only a matter of time.
Liberated Libyan;this is the same excuse that They, or ALL you; want to use to discredit the african people;the same principle is being used today;western power invasion for the countries’ resouces using the ‘judas style’, fast forward, check the countries that have been invaded recently, they tell lies on them, acused them of having what they don’t have, W M D, only to control their resouces, OIL, don’t blame the people who were helpless blame the leaders who were faceless.And arabs, with their prejudice toward black people, were more instrumental in selling African people,for their vast resouces;Rasta state it best;RED for the Blood of the people that was shed; Yellow for the gold they stole, Green for the land Africa,and i think you know that.
That is the result of politics, the people are divided by outside influences, without regards to the country just for some money. And what it take centuries to build,is distory in days.Dominicans please put your house in oder love one and other, we to small for that, there is enough for all in Dominica. ONE LOVE: